Great Lakes changing name to Ascendium

After 51 years, Great Lakes Higher Education Corp. & Affiliates is relaunching under a new name effective Nov. 15 — Ascendium Education Group.

The change follows a split that occurred earlier this year when Nelnet Inc. acquired the loan-servicing subsidiary of Great Lakes. Ascendium Education Group now has about 250 employees and remains the largest guarantor of federal student loans.

The company’s headquarters remains at 2501 International Lane in Madison. It also has three other office locations in South Dakota, Minnesota, and Indiana.